Dedication to September 11
by fanficfanatic940
Summary: The digidestined are caught in the terrorist attacks on September 11. Dedicated to the heroes and innocents who risked their lives and died on September 11.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon.

**A/N:** This is my first time doing this kind of story.  The story had two parts, one song for each section.  At the anniversary of the worst attack against the United States in the great nation's history, I thought it might be appropriate if I wrote a story for it.  Our hearts go out to the innocents whose lives were taken tragically, and to the brave firefighters and rescue personnel who died trying to save them.  Their lives were not lost in vain.  I ask all to pray for the friends and family of lost ones, and for President Bush to have the wisdom to do the right thing during the war against terrorism.

**Part One**

            "So you're going back to LA tomorrow?" Kari asked over the phone.

            "Yeah.  My flight leaves at about eight in the morning," Tai replied.  He was in Boston visiting his parents.

            "Eight?  So you won't be coming down here for my little party?"

            "You mean it's tomorrow?  Well, to do that, I'd need to catch _another_ plane and take that one down to New York.  That would take a while, and my boss would get ticked off.  Who's all going?"

            "Me, Yolie, Ken, and TK.  You know Sarah, right?"

            "You're employer?  Yeah.  What about her?" Tai asked.

            "She wouldn't give me the day off, so I had to have the party at work." Kari laughed.  "Oh yeah, and my office was moved to the north tower."

            "Of the World Trade Center?  How's the view?"

            "Better than my old office, that's for sure."

            Tai chuckled.  "I got to go.  See ya, Kari.  Love ya."

            "You too, Tai.  Bye."

_Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day_

_Out in the yard with your wife and children_

_Working on some stage in LA_

_Did you stand there in shock at the sight of_

_That black smoke rising against that blue sky_

_Did you shout out in anger_

_In fear for your neighbor_

_Or did you just sit down and cry_

            "For the last time, Mimi!  Please don't go to work tomorrow!" Joe pleaded.  "I have a _really_ bad feeling about it!"

            "Well, Joe.  Are you going to work tomorrow?" Mimi replied.

            Joe rose from his chair.  "Of course.  I have the surgery to do.  You know why I have to do it."

            Mimi turned around.  "Well, if you're going tomorrow, so am I.  I don't care if you don't want me to."  She walked away and up the stairs.

            "Please don't go," he whispered.

_Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones_

_And pray for the ones who don't know_

_Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble_

_And sob for the ones left below_

            Matt sighed as he continued filling out contracts.  It was hard being famous.  Everyday it was just paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork.  He had just agreed for a two-month tour, he had a new song to record in the morning, and his computer techie and statistics person, Izzy, had been suffering from insomnia for the past few weeks.  It also didn't help that he was still recovering from a large drop in popularity.  He walked over to his window.  Through it he could see all of New York City, but a bit of it was blocked by the north tower.  His watch said 1:00 AM.  He had been up all night Monday, too.  Without thinking, he just lay down on the floor and he was out cold.

            Davis hung his uniform on the hook in his bedroom.  The day had been hard.  He was now working in the Pentagon, and his commanding officer had given him a difficult time.  Even his subordinates were racking on his nerves.  He placed his cell phone on the table next to his bed.  But first he hit the speed-dial.

            "Hello?" a voice asked groggily on the other end.

            "Hey, TK.  Did I wake you?" Davis asked.

            "Oh, of course not, Davis.  I was trying to find out if I could stay awake for a whole week.  Of _course_ you woke me up!  Why are you calling?"

            "Can you tell Kari that I won't be able to come to the party tomorrow?  The commander won't give me a leave, and her phone's busy."

            "She knows that already, man.  When you didn't show up at the airport and she found out that you had to work today, she put two and two together." TK yawned.

            "How does she know I can't get off work?"

            "Don't ask me.  Now can I go back to sleep?"

            "Uh, sure." Davis put the phone on the table and went to sleep.

_Did you burst out in pride_

_For the red, white, and blue_

_And the heroes that died_

_Just doing what they do_

_Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer_

_And look at yourself to what really matters_

            Tai sprinted across the airport, through security, and to his gate.  As he got there, a voice came through the speakers.  "Flight 11 to Los Angeles departing in ten minutes."  Tai ran faster and made it onto the plane with a few minutes to spare.  He got a seat next to a window, with a Middle Eastern man sitting next to him.  When he got back home, he had to go straight to work, and Sora would have to unpack his suitcase by herself.

            Half an hour later, the man sitting next to him, as well as two other men that looked like Afghans made their way to the front of the plane and started talking in a foreign dialect that Tai wouldn't place his finger on.  Immediately, two drew out knives and went into the cockpit, and the screams of the pilot and co-pilot rang through the air.

_I'm just a singer of simple songs_

_I'm not a real political man_

_I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you_

_The difference in Iraq and Iran_

_But I know Jesus and I talk to God_

_And I remember this from when I was young_

_Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us_

_And the greatest is love_

            Kari stood at the sound of her door knocking.  She walked over to open it and in came TK, Ken, and Yolie.  Kari smiled and let them in.  "You guys are a little early," she said. The clock read 8:42.  Suddenly, her phone chirped.

            "Kari," Tai spoke in a worried tone.  "Listen to me and don't ask questions.  My plane was hijacked, and some guys are gonna crash us into your building."  As if on cue, the low roar of jet engines could be faintly heard.  "Get as many people out of there as possible.  I love you, Kari.  Goodbye."

            "I love you too."  Kari clicked her cell phone off and put it in her pocket.  "Guys, run.  We have to get out of here.  This place is gonna go up in flames in a minute or two."

            The drone of the airliner grew increasingly louder as the four rushed to the door.  But Ken tripped over his shoelaces and bumped into the file cabinet, knocking it over on top of him.

_Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day_

_Teaching a class full of innocent children_

_Driving home some cold interstate_

_Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor_

_In a crowded room did you feel alone_

_Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her_

_Did you dust off that bible at home_

_Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened_

_Close your eyes and not go to sleep_

_Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages_

_Speak with some stranger on the street_

_Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow_

_Go out and buy you a gun_

_Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching_

_And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns_

_Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger_

_Stand in line and give your own blood_

_Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family_

_Thank God you had somebody to love_

            "So, Joe didn't want you to come to work today, eh?" Izzy said, coffee cup in hand.

            "No.  He said he had a 'bad feeling' about it.  But he said _he's_ going.  Now is that hypocritical or is tha-" Mimi was cut off by Izzy, who glanced at his watch, gasped, and ran towards the door.

            "I'm late, Mimi.  Tell Joe I said hi, okay?  Bye!"  Izzy bolted toward the elevator.  He needed to get to the south tower before Matt noticed he wasn't there yet.

            Turning around, Mimi noticed the hum of a Boeing growing louder and louder.

_I'm just a singer of simple songs_

_I'm not a real political man_

_I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you_

_The difference in Iraq and Iran_

_But I know Jesus and I talk to God_

_And I remember this from when I was young_

_Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us_

_And the greatest is love_

            "Ken!" TK knelt by his friend.  "Don't worry, we'll get you out from under there."  The file cabinet rested on top of Ken's chest, making it difficult for the man to breath.

            "No!  don't worry about me, guys.  Just go."

            "But…"

            "Go." Ken whispered.  They didn't argue.  As the other three dejectedly left the room, Ken tried to sit up.  The plane was visible now, he estimated the time left for the impact was about thirty seconds.  He prayed silently, then braced himself for the impact he knew he'd be dead before he felt.

_Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day_

**Part Two**

            Izzy tumbled to the ground at the sound of a deafening crash overhead.  He looked back into Mimi's office to see tons of burning debris falling from the sky.  He turned and sprinted for the stairs, but before he could reach them, a wall of plaster and cement toppled and left him unconscious.

            TK, Kari, and Yolie were running down the stairs when the tremor hit.  The lights flickered once, twice, and then blackened.  There was a scream, a tumble, and a thud.  When the lights came back on, Yolie was at the bottom of the stairs, a nasty cut on her forehead.

            As TK and Kari rushed to her, she opened her eyes and looked around.  "I can't see!  Kari!  TK!" she screamed.  Kari helped her friend to stand, but the stairs were now flooded with people trying to escape the building.  TK was trying to reach them, but it seemed impossible with such a horrendous stampede.  Yolie had her hands over her eyes, face twisted in agony.  Suddenly, Kari felt a strong hand help hoist Yolie to her feet.  She looked at the man, who appeared to be in his early twenties.  His jet-black hair was combed back and gelled.

            "Don't worry," he said.  "We'll get you outta here."

_American girls and American guys_

_Will always stand up and salute_

_Will always recognize_

_When we see Old Glory flying_

_There's a lot of men dead_

_So we can sleep in peace at night_

_When we lay down our head_

            "My God," Cassie said through her mask.  Over the TV, the doctors watched the fireball erupt from the side of the World Trade Center.  They had heard the explosion moments before, and immediately turned the TV on.  Joe was holding hands with the patient.

            Trent spoke up.  "Maybe we should go help."  A few murmured agreements, but Joe couldn't abandon the man next to him.

            "We can't, guys.  What about…"

            "Don't worry about me.  I'm sure there are people there that need you more."

            "Are-- are you sure about this?"

            "Positive.  Now please.  Just go."

            Joe felt a warm tear run down his cheek and fall onto the polished tiled floor.  He squeezed the man's hand tighter.  "I love you, dad."

            Mr. Kido smiled warmly.  "I love you too, Joe."  Joe let go of his father's hand and walked out of the room with the other five doctors.

            Matt was jarred awake when the explosion hit.  He ran to the window, to see to tower being sliced through like a hot knife through butter.  He stood there, speechless, until something clicked in his brain.  _That's where TK is_.  He staggered to his feet, and raced out of his office.

            Tyler helped carry a blind and traumatized Yolie to the base of the building.  The man, and Kari soon found out, had been a firefighter for eight years.  He was a strong man of 27, and the kind of guy you would want to be friends with.  They were almost to the bottom when they heard another thunderous explosion.

            "What happened?" TK asked.  A panicky woman came running down the stair, screaming at the top of her lungs.

            "The south tower's been hit!  The south tower's been hit!  _The south tower has been hit!_"

            Tyler stood there, eyes wide.  "Jesus Christ, this was planned."  Kari wasn't listening.  She was looking at a pile of rubble that had been ignored in the mad rush to get out.  She scurried over to it, and discovered the hand poking out.  Izzy's face was pale and lifeless.  But the man stirred and opened his eyes.

            "Kari?"

            "Izzy!  Is that you?  C'mon, we've gotta-"

            "No.  It's-- it's too late for me.  Tell ever-- tell everyone I said-- goodbye."  Kari watched as Izzy Izumi, the boy genius she'd known most of her life, died in her arms.

            Joe stood speechless at the sight of the twin towers billowing black smoke and flames into the otherwise beautiful crystal blue sky.  _There's no way Mimi could have survived that explosion._  He ran as fast as he could towards the buildings, medical bag in hand.  He couldn't push from his mind that the next time he would see his father was probably when the man was dead.  Firefighters, police, civilians, everybody seemed to be pitching in to help anybody who might be injured.

            In the middle of the mad scramble to leave the towers, Joe miraculously caught sight of TK, Kari, and some guy he didn't know carrying Yolie out.  He rushed to them and caught their attention.  The four of them (and Yolie), walked away from the sight of the terrorist attacks.

            "What happened to her?"

            "She's blind, fell down the stairs."

            "That's a pretty deep laceration.  I'll see what I can do."

_My Daddy served in the army_

_Where he lost his right eye_

_But he flew a flag out in our yard_

_Till the day that he died_

_He wanted my mother, my brother,_

_My sister and me_

_To grow up and live happy_

_In the land of the free_

            Davis stood, mouth agape, as he watched the live CNN broadcast.  He had been standing there for the past half hour.  He had told his superior officer he was going outside to call a friend who was over in New York, but he couldn't help but start watching when the second tower was smashed into.  He glanced at his watch, which read 9:32.

            Once outside, he tried to call Kari, but the line was always dead.  He feared the worst as he dialed one last time.

            "C'mon, pick up, pick up." Davis started tapping his foot when he heard the low drone of a low passenger jet.  He looked up to see a Boeing flying at an incredible speed toward the Pentagon.  As the giant explosion rang through the air, Davis instinctively fell on the ground and covered his head.  The part of the building he had been working in moments before was now a pile of flames and rubble.  He got up and ran towards the base.

            Matt thrust his hand through the pile of warm concrete on top of him.  He could tell he had a broken ankle and was bleeding profusely.  As he staggered out of the building, he caught sight of his brother, Kari, and Joe.  His thigh was cramped due to landing on the firearm he kept in his pocket, which made it difficult to even limp.

_Now this nation that I love_

_Is falling under attack_

_A mighty sucker punch came flying in_

_From somewhere in the back_

_As soon as we could see clearly_

_Through our big black eye_

_Man we lit up your world_

_Like the Fourth of July_

            "Have you heard from Mimi?" Joe asked.

            Kari shook her head.  "No.  But we found Izzy."

            Joe looked up, applying a gauze pad to the now-unconscious Yolie.  "Well, where is he?"  He could see the sadness in Kari's eyes.  Izzy had been his best friend for fifteen years.  They hadn't talked for almost three months now, because of an argument over something that seemed stupid and petty now.  The last thing he had said to the younger man was "Get out of my life."  Now he would never get a chance to apologize.

            TK put an arm around Kari's shoulders.  They had been engaged for three months now.  He couldn't imagine Yolie's pain.  She and Ken married four years before, and had one kid.

            TK's thoughts were interrupted when he saw Matt walking toward the group.  Crusted blood covered his face and stained his clothes, and his ankle appeared to be gruesomely twisted.

            "Teke!  You're all right!" Matt hugged his little brother.  "How are the others?"

            "Not so good.  Yolie's blind and Ken's dead."  Matt let go of TK when he heard the news.  "Izzy's gone too, and Mimi is missing."         

            Matt stepped away and covered his face in his hands.  Izzy had been more than just an "employee", but he had been a good friend, same as Ken and Mimi.

            TK looked nervous about saying the next part.  "T- Tai too."  The words hurt Matt more than his injuries.  He and Tai had been best friends since they were in diapers, and now he was… dead?  The young man couldn't take any more of this destruction.  Many of his friends were dead, along with thousands of others that he didn't know.

            A strap of Velcro caught TK's ears.  He knew he was the only one who knew what it was, but it didn't seem to register in his mind until his brother put his new Beretta handgun to his own head.  He didn't dare moved in fear of his brother shooting himself.  "Matt, please," he begged.  "Please don't do this."

            Matt's voice was slow and full of sorrow.  "I'm sorry, Teke."  Medical personnel and civilians screamed as the sound of a bullet shattering skull added to the chorus of sirens and wails.

_Hey, Uncle Sam put your name_

_At the top of his list_

_And the Statue of Liberty_

_Started shaking her fist_

_And the eagle will fly_

_And it's gonna be hell_

_When you hear Mother Freedom_

_Start ringing her bell_

_And it'll feel like the whole wide world_

_Is raining down on you_

_Brought to you courtesy_

_Of the red, white, and blue_

            "Jake!  Jake!" Davis yelled through the blazing hell that was once the military headquarters for the United States.  He forgot all about formality and rank as he searched for his commanding officer.  Everybody he saw was already dead.  Before he could find the man he was looking for, Davis was hit from behind by a burning concrete wall.

            TK put his face in his hands.  His brother, the person he had always looked up to and admired, was dead.  He could feel a warm tear flow down his cheek.  He and Kari had both lost their older siblings within a half hour.  Matt had never been the kind of man who would do something like this.  It was impossible.

            "We need to go back in there," Tyler said.

            "You're right.  We're sitting out here while others are dying.  We've got to do something!" Kari replied.

            TK stood and turned to face them.  "Yeah.  Let's go."

            "She worked on this floor.  I'm sure of it."  Kari, Tyler, and TK were rushing through the burning 11th story of the tower.  Many others were helping the injured or moving the dead.  The three stopped as a chunk of ceiling fell in front of Tyler.

"Christ, that was close."  Everybody ran into a small room to see Mimi sprawled unconsciously on the floor.

Kari felt Mimi's pulse.  "She's still alive," she reported.  She stood and walked backwards a little.

"Should we move her?  What if she has like a broken neck or somethin'?" Tyler asked.  He looked at TK and Kari.

"I don't know," TK replied.  "But if we don't do something quick, she might die, and so will we."

Davis opened his eyes.  He was on a bed, and doctors looked at him with concerned faces.  He wanted to say something, ask where he was, but he slipped out of consciousness again.

Joe turned to look at Trent.  Yolie was finally asleep.  "I told Mimi not to go to work, and now I know why.  Now she's probably dead.  My best friend, too.  And my dad, Matt, and Tai.  I can't believe it."

"Did you hear about the Pentagon and some other plane near Pittsburgh?  I don't think this was any accident."

"I know.  This whole thing was planned.  I just hope everyone is all right."

_Oh, justice will be served_

_And the battle will rage_

_This big dog will fight_

_When you rattle his cage_

_You'll be sorry that you messed_

_With the U.S. of A._

_Cause we'll put a boot in your ass_

_It's the American way_

            TK, Kari, and Tyler rushed out of the tower with an unconscious Mimi.  They had heard the south tower collapse just moments before, and now all they could see of it was rubble.  But suddenly, they were thrown back as an explosive crumpling sound rang through the air.  The three looked behind them to see the building they were just in crumble to dust and debris.

            "Mimi!" Joe ran down the street towards his unconscious wife.  He had watched as the north tower collapsed and sent the four sprawling onto the ground.  "Oh God, no.  Mimi."  He quickly checked her pulse as he lifted her onto a stretcher.  Mimi's eyes slowly opened.

            "Joe?" she managed to say.

            "Mimi, don't worry.  You're gonna be all right.  I'll just get you to a hospital and you'll be fine."

            "Joe?  You-- you were right.  I shouldn't have come to work today."

            Joe felt a fresh set of tears well up in his eyes.  "Don't worry about that, honey.  You're going to be fine.  Just fine."

_Hey, Uncle Sam put your name_

_At the top of his list_

_And the Statue of Liberty_

_Started shaking her fist_

_And the eagle will fly_

_And it's gonna be hell_

_When you hear Mother Freedom_

_Start ringing her bell_

_And it'll feel like the whole wide world_

_Is raining down on you_

_Brought to you courtesy_

_Of the red, white, and blue_

            Kari stood three blocks from what were once the prominent World Trade Center towers.  The skyline seemed awkward and empty without the buildings.  She felt a warm hand on her shoulder as she turned to face TK.  His face looked grave as he clasped his hand around hers.

            "I just got a call from some Dr. Malcolm from Washington," he spoke, emotionless.  "He had Davis in Intensive Care, but it seems clear that he's going to survive."

            The crisp evening air still echoed with the sound of fading ambulances and garbled, incoherent radio calls.  Everything seemed so surreal.  This was the type of thing you'd think would happen to someone else or on the movie screen.  And yet, the people closest to her were dead.  Ken, Tai, and Matt.  She was thankful though that most of them survived: TK, Davis, Yolie, Mimi, and Tyler, whom she had just met that morning.  Kari embraced her fiancée as the last remaining rays of sunlight disappeared over the terror-stricken, ash-covered New York City.

Well, that took me an eternity to write.  If there are any inaccuracies, don't hesitate to tell me.  Again, the songs "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" and "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (the Angry American)" are owned by Alan Jackson and Toby Keith, respectively.  Please R/R.


End file.
